The return of people to Shebekino was suspended after shelling from Gradov

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) fired at Shebekino from a Grad multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), the market area caught fire, Governor of the Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov said. After the night strikes, the authorities decided to suspend the return of residents to the city, and announced days off for the builders.

The head of the region on the morning of July 8 said that during the shelling of Shebekino from Gradov, one of the shells hit the territory of the central market. A vegetable base and one car also caught fire.

“After the night events in Shebekino, we decided to announce two days off for our builders who are engaged in the restoration of the city. And we will suspend the return of residents from temporary accommodation centers,” wrote Gladkov in his Telegram channel.

The intensity of the shelling of the Shebekinsky urban district increased at the end of May. On June 1, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired a record 850 shells in the district. Against this background, the evacuation of residents from the city and other border areas began – it was reported that almost 60,000 people were evacuated. On July 2, Gladkov reported that more than 10% of Shebekino residents had returned to their homes, and more than half of the district’s large and medium-sized enterprises had already started work. Then the governor offered evacuated residents to gradually return from temporary accommodation to their homes. He also promised that no rent would be charged to residents until August 1.

In the Belgorod region, a high (“yellow”) level of terrorist danger is indefinitely. Since October 19, 2022, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the “medium level of response” has been established in the region.